6.2 GB free, but can't create a CD (no disk space!)

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Posted:
in Genius Bar edited January 2014
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. I made the idiotic mistake of giving Apple's Backup software one last chance to perform, and it has fucked up my system as thanks.



I tried to back up my iPhoto library using it, and it first claimed there was some (non-specific) internal error, and to try again. So, against all better judgement, I did. Backup then decided that, despite the Finder, the System Profiler and the Activity Monitor all saying that I had over 6GB remaining (and I'm sure I did before this fiasco), that there wasn't enough room to create the CD image.



Fine. I figure it's some huge temp file that will be erased with a reboot. So I reboot. Virex on login tells me that there isn't enough disk space to update the virus definitions. We're talking kb for this update. I try Backup again, and it tells me that it's busy backing up to my iDisk (it isn't), and to try again later.



Hours pass. I reboot. Same thing. I try creating a CD in the Finder, and the Finder tells me that there's no disk space. Virex still thinks so too. Backup still thinks it's backing up to my iDisk. The Finder, System Profiler and System Monitor all still say I have over 6GB of free space on my hard drive.



I delete preferences. I delete logs. I delete caches. I do this with my account, my other account, the system Library, etc. All erased, and I reboot to finish it all off and erase the items that were being used while I waslogged in before.



No deal, same problem. It won't go way.



I think, hm, i'll log in as root, check any hidden folders for big files. I can't see my hidden folder any more while logged in as root. I try a Finder search for large files, but nothing shows up that can explain the discrepancy.



So I'm perplexed, lost and perhaps a little desperate. Does anyone have any ideas what might be up here, or if there are any courses of action to take?



One thing is for sure, I'm deleting Backup and never using it again. I'm mad at myself for being so stupid. It never manages to successfully backup to my iDisk, and has turned too many of my CDs into coasters, which should never happen in this day and age. I'll nevermake this mistake again.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 3
    derevderev Posts: 64member
    have you tried fixing permissions or the almighty fsck command in terminal
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  • Reply 2 of 3
    buonrottobuonrotto Posts: 6,368member
    Permissions didn't work, and before I tried fsck, I found I also had a problem with printing. Again, no specific error, it just said there was one and I had to click "OK." (Note to app developers: "OK" is the least helpful and most ambiguous button label you can probably assign to a dialog.) So I ran my Printer Setup Repair Utility to see if I could at least fix that in a crunch. I had to print a bunch of birthday cards out for a party in half an hour.



    Well, lo and behold, not only did it fix my printing issues -- which were surely due to the same issues with burning CDs, claims of low system memory and the constant claim of accessing my iDisk -- but it managed to fix everything so that I could burn CDs again, install an updated version of Virex and access my iDisk again. The likely fixer was the ability to delete the private/tmp/* folder from within the app. It's what I wanted to do via root user, but I couldn't remember the command line method to access it and I guess Panther doesn't let you view hidden files even as root any more. (?)



    Bottom line is: problem solved, and I deleted Backup from my hard drive, never to torture me again.
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  • Reply 3 of 3
    What do you suggest as an alternative to backup? I just backed up 6 DVDs worth of data with that piece of work...
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